(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to color input technology, and more particularly to a color input device and its application kit applicable to tablet computers, laptop computers, smart phones or other computing devices for capturing colors from natural objects and storing captured colors in a memory therein and transmitting captured colors to the computing devices.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Modern tablet computers, laptop computers, smart phones and other mobile computing devices commonly use a touch panel for data input. Data input can be done by means of clicking a finger or stylus on the touch panel. However, there are some deficiencies in using a finger to input data. So, there are developed many styluses with special features. For example, styluses capable of inputting colors are seen in US 20140078109, US 20140084269, US 20060087497, CN 202742877U, and CN 103278243A. According to these designs, the stylus has a color sensor mounted therein for capturing colors from natural objects and then transmitting captured color signals to a tablet computer or smart phone so that the tablet computer or smart phone can get specific colors.
However, conventional color sensor-equipped styluses or color pens are still not satisfactory in function. For example, these conventional color sensor-equipped styluses or color pens cannot capture vivid colors from the surfaces of natural objects in case of insufficient light. With respect to the concerns of how to store captured colors and how to transmit captured colors to a tablet computer or smart phone, conventional color sensor-equipped styluses or color pens cannot provide a definite answer. More particularly, when a user wishes to use a stylus as a color pen for drawing pictures on a tablet computer or smart phone and capturing colors from natural objects and establishing a color database in the tablet computer or stylus, the color sensor and the control interface for controlling the activation of the color sensor must be specially design so that the color sensor can capture more realistic colors from the surface of a natural object within the optical distance. Further, the operation of the color sensor of a stylus for children must be very convenient, so that children of all ages can easily get started. These are urgent issues to overcome.